Masked
by Alia G. L
Summary: Crossover: PretenderBatman. Jarod meets a woman who asks for his help. He agrees to help her. But, she hides a deadly secret. Meanwhile, Miss Parker is having strange dreams. I would recommend watching 'Batman: Mask of the Phantasm' before reading this.


A/N: This is my very first fanfic. Please read and review. It would help if you had watched 'Batman: Masked of the Phantasm' before reading this. If not, you'll be lost. This is a finished fanfic. I might do a sequel, but that is very unlikely. Thanks. Enjoy.  
  
Disclaimer: Never owned them. Don't own them. Never will own them.  
  
Jarod walked to the front desk of the grand hotel. People were mingling about, talking to one another or watching the fountains that were in the middle of the lobby. He paid no attention to any of it, as he rang the bell that sat on the front desk. A woman, who appeared to be about 30, came over to him.  
  
"May I help you?" she asked. Jarod looked at her nametag. It read Hallie.  
  
"Yes. I'm looking for this lady. I was told I would find her here." He held up a picture of a woman dressed in black, with deep brown hair and piercing blue eyes. The woman at the desk looked at the picture closely.  
  
"I haven't seen the woman in this picture. You might..." she would have continued but she realized that the man was no longer listening to her. She sighed, but he did not seem to hear her. She shrugged her shoulders and walked over to another person waiting for assistance.  
  
Jarod didn't hear the woman walk away. He had focused his attention and ears on a couple that were talking by one of the fountains. He walked a little closer so he could hear them better.  
  
"I tried knocking on her door, but she didn't answer." The woman frowned as she spoke. "What if something has happened to her? You know Andrea has had dealings with that mob organization. I hope they haven't gotten to her." The woman pulled a handkerchief from her pocket and wiped her eyes free of the tears that had started to form there.  
  
"Now Mary, I'm sure she's fine. She's probably at the pool or jogging around town. Don't worry. We'll find her." At that the couple walked away, still talking.  
  
Jarod frowned in puzzlement. Who was Andrea? What mob was she involved in? This was very interesting.  
  
* * *  
  
"Anything?" Miss Parker snapped as she stepped into the office. Broots looked up at her sheepishly.  
  
"Nothing. No clues, no Fed Exes, no hidden lairs. Not even a phone call." Broots frowned. "I've talked to people who knew him during his last pretend. He didn't tell them, nor did he hint at where he was going next." Miss Parker faked a smile.  
  
"I'm sure he would have told them if he had a chance, Broots. Like he told all those other people in his other pretends." Her voice was completely sarcastic. "You know he never tells anyone where he is going next!" As she said this, she slapped Broots on the arm. "Right?" Broots gulped.  
  
"Right." He said, rubbing his arm and turning back to the computer.  
  
"Anything yet?" Sydney asked as he walked into the office.  
  
"Nothing. Where can our lab rat be?" Miss Parker asked turning to Sydney.  
  
"I haven't the slightest clue. He hasn't called or written in over two weeks." Sydney frowned. "I wish he would. I'm getting very worried." "Only you, Sydney, would worry about a lab rat." Miss Parker said. She turned on her heels and walked out of the room. Sydney turned to follow her.  
  
"Keep looking, Broots. He has to be somewhere." Sydney walked out the door, muttering to himself, "Where are you, Jarod?"  
  
* * *  
  
Jarod looked at his cell phone. Should he or should he not? Shouldn't. He put the cell phone in his pocket and continued his silent watch. He had positioned himself in front of the main door to the hotel. He sat watching and waiting for that couple to come back from wherever they were. He frowned as he glanced at his watch. 4:37 p.m. They had been gone for over five hours.  
  
As he sat, his mind began to wander. Where had Miss Parker been? She should have been here. He sighed. Somethings never went as planned. And other things never got planned at all. He looked towards the door. Still no sign of them. Oh, well. He could sit here for hours waiting. He had plenty of things to occupy his mind.  
  
* * *  
  
Miss Parker got out of her car with a sigh. It was around 11:00pm. It had been a long day at the Centre. She looked up at her house as a thought struck her. She lived here all by herself. No one lived there besides her. She suddenly felt very much alone. As she climbed the steps, one word was muttered through her mouth.  
  
"Tommy." She opened the door and put her stuff on a near-by table. Flopping down on a couch, she reached for her phone. Looking at it, she argued with herself. I should call. I wasn't there as I promised I would be. He could get angry. But knowing him, she dismissed that thought. The battle continued. I shouldn't. I mean, I don't even know what his name might be. And besides, he could be busy with another 'case'.  
  
She hated his 'cases'. They were always dangerous and he had a habit of hanging out with the bad guys. She shuddered. She hoped he hadn't gotten himself involved in any 'case' again.  
  
Putting the phone down, she stood up and got ready for bed. While doing this, she made a mental note. Tell him to stop getting involved in other people's business.  
  
* * *  
  
12:08am. They still had not come back. Jarod stifled a yawn. Maybe he should go get a room and get some sleep. Or maybe he should call Miss Parker. He was sure she would love to be awakened up at 12:09 in the middle of the night. He shook his head, deciding to just sit here and wait. His patience won out. Five minutes later the couple walked in through the door. They glanced around as if to make sure nobody saw them and then headed for the elevator.  
  
Jarod also made his way toward the elevator. The couple beat him there by two seconds.  
  
"Are you going up?" the man asked. Stupid question. Jarod thought. You can only go up.  
  
"Yes, I am." he replied, faking a smile. The man pushed the up button and they waited in silence for the elevator to arrive. Jarod finally broke the silence.  
  
"Earlier this morning, I happened to over hear the two of you talking about a girl named Andrea." The couple had a look of horror on their faces. Fortunately, at that moment, the elevator arrived. The couple hurried on and Jarod followed at a more leisurely pace. The doors closed. Nobody pushed a floor button. Jarod decided to continue the conversation. "I know it's really none of my business, but I want to help. What mob organization did she have ties with?" He waited for the couple to regain their composure.  
  
"I thank you for your concern, Mister. But we can handle this on our own. You really don't need to get involved." The elevator doors opened, and the couple got off as a woman got on. Jarod made a mental note that the floor they got off on was 6. The doors closed and the elevator continued its ascent. The women turned to look at Jarod. She had reddish-brown hair and light blue eyes. She wore a skirt and a button-up shirt. She smiled.  
  
"Don't mind them. They are always trying to protect me." She smiled again as she extended her hand. "My name's Andrea." Jarod was surprised.  
  
"My name's Jarod. Are you the Andrea with ties to a mob?" Bad question. His curiosity was always getting the better of him. But he couldn't take it back now. It didn't seem to bother Andrea, though.  
  
"Yes, I am." There was a hint of sadness in her voice. Her eyes had a far away look. "But I don't see why they worry like they do."  
  
"They?" Jarod asked.  
  
"Mary and Steven. The couple who got off at floor 6." Jarod nodded his head. Andrea continued. "They worry constantly about me. I'm old enough to take care of myself. And anyway, all the headmen are dead. All except that clown." Her eyes grew angry and she clenched her fists. "He's the only one who is still alive. But I'm sure he has completely forgotten about me." She relaxed and looked up at Jarod. "I appreciate your concern, Jarod. I would like your help. I need to have the last member put into jail. Will you help me?"  
  
All Jarod could do was nod his head.  
  
* * *  
  
Jarod and Andrea walked along the garden path. Jarod admired the beautiful blooms of the different plants. Andrea seemed lost in thought. Jarod didn't quite know what to make of her. She was quiet, but when she talked about the mob she had been involved with, a look of complete hatred would come into her eyes. He didn't know a lot about her dealings with this mob. All he knew was that they were all dead except for this guy she kept calling 'the clown'. 'The clown' was a weird name. When he had asked her about it, she just pushed it aside saying it was a nickname. Did she really expect him to believe that?  
  
Andrea looked up at him. She smiled. He smiled. She and Miss Parker would make great friends. Jarod thought. They both had a thing for organizations that were evil. He chuckled to himself.  
  
"What?" Andrea asked, looking at him.  
  
"Oh, it's nothing. Just a personal joke." Very personal. "So, did you get the plane tickets?"  
  
"Yes. We'll have to be at the airport in about two hours to board the plane." She had a faraway look in her eyes. "It's going to be great to see home again."  
  
"Where exactly is home?" Jarod asked. Andrea hadn't told him where they were heading. She had offered to buy the tickets and he had forgotten to ask where they were going. She gave him an offended look.  
  
"What, you don't trust me?" Jarod blushed. "You'll see where we're going when we get there." Jarod moaned. He knew there was no use trying to get anymore out of her. If she didn't want him to know, he wouldn't know. "Okay. I have to go back up to my room to pack my stuff. I shouldn't be long." She nodded her head, as Jarod turned to go.  
  
"Just be sure to meet me in the front lobby at 4:30pm. Okay?"  
  
"Sure. What about Mary and Steven? I'm sure they don't approve of this."  
  
"Don't worry. I'll take care of them. They won't ever find out." She smiled again. Jarod walked towards the door.  
  
* * *  
  
Miss Parker tapped her foot impatiently. Where was he? Even if she hadn't shown up two days ago, he would (should) still be here. He never left any place intill they met. She looked at her watch. 2:36. Maybe I should have called and warned him that I was coming. She thought.  
  
She walked toward the front desk.  
  
"Excuse me." She said to the woman behind the desk. "Excuse me!" The woman lifted her head, revealing her nametag, which read Hallie.  
  
"Yes, ma'am. May I help you?"  
  
"I'm looking for this guy. He has brown hair and brown eyes. He's about this tall." She showed with her hands how tall he was. "He may have been here yesterday." Hallie nodded her head and studied Miss Parker.  
  
"Oh, that guy." She smiled. "He came in here, asking if anyone had seen this lady. He didn't give her name, but he did have a picture. You look like the lady in the picture." Miss Parker smiled. So like him to show a picture of her.  
  
"Did he give you a message for me? Did he give you anything to give to me?" Hallie shook her head.  
  
"No. He walked away right after he asked if I had seen you. I'm sorry." Hallie gave a sympathetic smile. "I believe he is staying at the hotel, though. If that helps you any."  
  
"Yes, that does help. Thanks." Hallie turned toward another person as Miss Parker made her way to one of the fountains. So, he was still here. And he probably was digging his way through another 'case'. She sighed. Why couldn't he just stop the 'cases' and spend more time with her? They were seeing each other less and less due to the Centre. And when they did see each other, she usually had a gun to his head. Of course, she would never shoot him. She never had and never would.  
  
She looked around at all the people. Their lives seemed so perfect. Why couldn't her's be that way? I'm going to have to find a way to get out of the Centre and soon. Maybe fake my death or something like that. She smiled. How many times had people faked their deaths at the Centre? It was truly the land of the living dead. She smiled again. She rarely if ever smiled when she was with Sydney or Broots. Smiling wasn't very Miss Parker like. Neither was laughing or crying. She was glad to get away from the Centre once in awhile. But she wished that she could leave it for good.  
  
* * *  
  
Jarod walked into the hotel and saw Miss Parker talking to the woman behind the desk. He winced and turned around. He couldn't let her see him. She would try to convince him not to help Andrea. That was the difference between the two of them. He loved to help others, no matter who they were. She would rather not help anyone. Probably due to the fact that she had grown up in the Centre. Well, so had he. But he had escaped and she hadn't.  
  
He ducked around a fountain and made his way, stealthily, to the elevator. All the while watching Miss Parker. She sat down by one of the fountains and smiled. Probably thinking about him. He pushed the up button. The elevator arrived immediately. He thanked God for that. Now there was no way she could see him. Now all he had to do was find a way to come back down without her seeing him. Tricky, but not impossible.  
  
* * *  
  
Broots shook his head. There was still no sign of Jarod anywhere. He had run the name Jarod through a search index. No names had come up that matched their Jarod. He sighed. Where could he be? It wasn't like Jarod to not tease Miss Parker for a whole two weeks. He would usually call about every three to four days, just to make her mad. Broots smiled. The two of them were so funny. He had a feeling that they both had a thing for each other. He wouldn't be surprised if that was true.  
  
His thoughts on Jarod and Miss Parker's love life were interrupted by a knock on the door. He would have to continue this thought process later.  
  
"Come in." He hoped that it wasn't Mr. Raines. He sure hated that guy. Today happened to be Broots' lucky day, though. In walked Sydney.  
  
"Anything?" He asked, a look of hope on his face.  
  
"No, nothing." Sydney's face dropped. "I've run a name search for males between the ages of 30 and 40 with the first name Jarod. About 200 came up, but none of them matched our Jarod. Sorry, Sd." Sydney nodded his head.  
  
"He might have gone under a different name. He's done that before."  
  
"Yeah," Broots said, "But what would it be? We don't even know what he's doing." Broots shook his head in confusion. "This is just not like Jarod."  
  
"I know. Something really important must have come up." "What could be more important than bothering Miss Parker?" Sydney laughed. "Oh, and speaking of Miss Parker, have you seen her today? I've been looking all over for her. I looked in her office and I even asked Mr. Lyle if he had seen her."  
  
"You asked Lyle if he had seen her? Broots, you're becoming brave." Broots blushed.  
  
"I had to. He would be one of the only people to know where she is. But he said that he hadn't seen her. He asked why I wanted to know." Broots paused. "I told him it was a personal matter and not for psychopathic brothers to know about." Sydney gasped.  
  
"You really said that?" Sydney questioned, wondering how he had made it out alive. Broots just smiled.  
  
"Are you kidding? There's no way I would tell that to Mr. Lyle. All I said was that it had to do with Jarod. Then he just nodded his head and walked off." Sydney obviously looked relived.  
  
"I can answer that question for you, Broots. Today's her day off. She told me she had family matters to take care of." Sydney shook his head. Broots almost smiled. They were doing a lot of shaking the heads today.  
  
"Oh, okay. Well I guess I could try to get a hold of her on her cell phone." Sydney shook his head, again.  
  
"No, Broots. I think that would be a bad idea. Miss Parker said that she didn't want to be bothered. I don't even think she took her cell phone with her." Sydney turned and walked out the door. Broots sat there in silence as he puzzled over all that had been said. Why would Miss Parker leave her cell phone behind? She always kept it near her just in case Jarod called or if Sydney or himself had any news of Jarod. Right now, he had some info to tell her. She had been the one to order the name search and she had said that she wanted the results as soon as possible. Broots shook his head. Miss Parker was acting weird. Why? Could it be about Jarod? Or something else?  
  
* * *  
  
Jarod boarded the plane behind Andrea. They made their way to their seats near the rear of the plane. All that money and she still bought seats in the third-class section. He would have rather sat in first-class, but that was his opinion. Maybe she didn't like special treatment.  
  
"Aisle or window?" Andrea asked, pointing to the seats.  
  
"Which one do you want?"  
  
"Window, I love looking at the view."  
  
"Then I'll have the aisle." They both took their seats as more people boarded the plane. Five minutes later, a flight attendant started to show the passengers how to buckle their seat belts and where all the other important equipment was. Jarod and Andrea paid her little heed.  
  
"So, now are you going to tell me where we're going?" He gave her a puppy dog look. Andrea just laughed and punched him in the arm. He started to laugh too. In the background the pilot started to talk.  
  
"Good evening. My name is John West. I'll be your pilot, today. It should take us about one hour to reach Gothom, New York. And about another twenty minutes to reach Boston. Thank you for flying Delta."  
  
Andrea gave a wicked grin.  
  
"What?" Jarod asked.  
  
"Did you hear what the pilot just said?"  
  
"No, I was to busy laughing my head off over who knows what."  
  
"Good. He just announced where we were heading." Jarod looked upset.  
  
"Shoot. Now I'll have to wait to find out where we're going till we get there. Unless..." He reached over to push the button to call a flight attendant.  
  
"Oh, no you don't." Andrea grabbed his arm and pulled him back. "You can't cheat. You're going to have to wait." He gave a small frown and crossed his arms.  
  
"Okay."  
  
"Thank you." She leaned back and closed her eyes. The plane lifted up off the ground.  
  
Thirty minutes later, Andrea opened her eyes and stretched her arms and legs.  
  
"Are we there yet?" Jarod shook his head.  
  
"You've been asleep for only thirty minutes." He looked at her. "You can unbuckle your seat belt now, if you want." She reached over and unbuckled it. She stood up as best she could and looked at Jarod. "Please move your legs. I have to go to the restroom." Jarod obediently moved his legs. Andrea maneuvered her way into the aisle. "And if the food lady stops by, tell her I want a Sprite in a can and some peanuts." Jarod nodded his head as she walked away.  
  
* * *  
  
Miss Parker stood up and looked around. Still no sign of him. She had been sitting by the fountains for over three hours and he still had not shown up. She groaned. Why couldn't she have made it here yesterday, when she was supposed to? She sighed. Somethings never went as planned... She couldn't quite remember the other half of that saying Jarod had taught her.  
  
She made her way to the front desk again. Hallie was still sitting behind it. She looked up at Miss Parker's appoarch.  
  
"Did you find him, ma'am?"  
  
"No, I didn't. Thanks for asking." Miss Parker smiled. "Can I have a room?"  
  
"Sure." Hallie smiled. "How long do you plan to stay?"  
  
"One night only."  
  
"Okay." Hallie entered that data into her computer. "Name, phone, and address, please." Miss Parker gave her all the information that she required. "Thank you. Here's the key to room 219 on the second floor."  
  
"Thank you." Miss Parker made her way to the elevator. All she wanted to do now was go to bed. She didn't want to think about heading back to the Centre tomorrow.  
  
* * *  
  
Jarod sighed. They had twenty more minutes on this flight to who knew where. At least they weren't going to another country. They hadn't passed over any big bodies of water. He looked at Andrea. She was staring out the window. There was so much he didn't know about her. Her age, her full name, her hometown, why she was wanted by a mob, why she kept calling this guy 'the clown' were just a few of the questions he had floating around his head. Should I or should I not? He thought. Maybe he should ask a few of the questions.  
  
"So, there's a whole lot I don't know about you." Andrea snapped back to the real world and looked at Jarod. He took that as a good sign and continued. "How old are you?" She smiled.  
  
"Are you sure you want to know?"  
  
"Yes, I'm sure."  
  
"I'm about fifty-one." Jarod's jaw dropped. She did not look fifty-one. He thought that she was younger then himself. Fifty-one. He had been unprepared for that one.  
  
Andrea just sat there, smiling, letting it sink into him. Jarod was having a hard time believing it.  
  
"You're fifty-one? I could swear you were 30 or younger." Andrea laughed.  
  
"The years haven't caught up with me, yet. They will soon, though." She frowned. "Once 'the clown' is in jail, I can truly get some rest." She sighed and it looked like she had aged twenty years.  
  
"I know it's really none of my business, but why did you give that guy the nickname 'the clown'? Does he work for a circus, now?" Andrea shook her head.  
  
"No, he never worked for a circus. You'll see why I call him 'the clown' in good time." She leaned back in her chair and fell asleep. Jarod just stared at her. She was hiding something. He could feel it. But what?  
  
* * *  
  
"We will be landing in Gothom, New York in about two minutes. Please fasten your seat belts and thank you for flying Delta." Jarod shook Andrea.  
  
"Andrea, we're landing. Wake up!" Andrea's eyes flew open.  
  
"We're there?" Jarod nodded his head. Andrea quickly sat up, rebuckled her seat belt, and look out the window. "Wow. It's so different now." Jarod just looked at her with a look of amazement.  
  
"There's actually a Gothom, New York? Like where Batman lived?"  
  
"Yes. The legend of Batman was started here. Most people don't know that, though. Very few people know Gothom, New York, actually exists. It's very small now, but twenty years ago it was huge. Skyscrapers and everything. This is what happens when crime takes over a place and no good people try to stop it." She pointed out the window. Gothom was small, sitting right next to a small bay. The buildings were not much bigger than 5 stories. You could see evidence of skyscrapers, but there were none still standing. Jarod looked out in amazement.  
  
"Was there really a Batman?" He asked in child-like excitement.  
  
"No one really knows. Some people claim that he did exist. Others say he was just a fantasy creature created by little children. Either way, he didn't do much good. The only good side of town is by the airport. But no one usually stays long in town. To many gangs and what-not."  
  
"You know, for someone who hasn't been here for a few years, you sure know a lot about this place." Andrea smiled.  
  
"It's my home. I would be crazy not to know what happens around here." Jarod nodded his head. "So, where's your home town?" Jarod cringed.  
  
"I don't have one." Andrea gave him a puzzled look. "I was taken from my family when I was very young. I don't even know where they are." Andrea gave him a sympathetic look.  
  
"I know how it feels to lose a love one. You don't have to talk about it if you don't want to." Jarod gave her a grateful look. The less he thought of the Centre the better off he would be.  
  
"Thanks, Andrea."  
  
"Call me Andi. All my friends do."  
  
"Andi. Okay." As they talked, the plane landed in Gothom. The airport and the area surrounding it were peaceful looking. Trees lined the streets. Hotels also lined the street, each claiming to have lower prices than the next. But once you headed toward the bay for about three miles, the scenery changed. Run down buildings, bars, and nightclubs were all that remained of the once proud city. Homeless people walked the streets. Gangs met in back alleys. This was Gothom now.  
  
Jarod and Andrea got off the airplane and made their way to the baggage area. There weren't many people in the airport. Gothom Airport was really only a resting-place for airplanes coming from the West and heading for the North. No one wanted to visit Gothom. Except Jarod and Andrea.  
  
They collected their baggage and made their way to the rent-a-car station. Andrea strode up to the man behind the desk and flashed him a smile.  
  
"Hi. My friend and I need to rent a car." The man just looked at her. "Excuse me, sir. I need to rent a car." The man seemed to snap to reality.  
  
"You and your friend want to visit Gothom?" Andrea nodded her head. "No one visits Gothom. At least, not anymore."  
  
"Well, we want to." Jarod said, stepping up to the desk. "So, could you please give us a car? We're kinda in a hurry."  
  
"No kidding." The man reached for a set of keys. "All I have is a black Lincoln. I hope you don't mind such an old car." Andrea shook her head.  
  
"No. That's perfect. Thanks."  
  
"All right. Can I get you to sign here?" As Andrea signed the release papers, Jarod tried to keep himself under control. Sweepers drove black Lincolns. So did Cleaners. No, he sternly corrected himself. The Centre wouldn't know he was here. MP would make sure of that, if she knew. She probably didn't.  
  
Andrea finished signing the release papers. Turning to Jarod, she held up the keys triumphantly. Jarod winced. But she didn't seem to notice.  
  
"Come on. Let's go." She looked like a child at Christmas. Her face aglow and a smile on her lips. Apparently, she was happy to be home. They made their way out of the building and over to the car lot. Except for a few bored ticket takers, no one was around. Andrea walked over to the only car in the lot, a black Lincoln. Jarod had a strange feeling that Sweepers were going to jump out of it at any minute. But that was just his over-active imagination at work.  
  
"I'll drive. Okay?" Jarod nodded his head. Andrea opened the door to the driver's seat. No Sweepers jumped out. Jarod sighed. "Are you okay?" Andrea gave him a concerned look.  
  
"I'm fine. Just tired." He made his way over to the passenger side and got in. After closing the door, he buckled his seat belt. Bad memories came to him, of being in black Lincolns before. He wanted to jump out of the car and run. But he knew he couldn't do that. He would just have to survive being in a black Lincoln again.  
  
Andrea put the key in and started the car. Pulling out of the parking space, she looked for the exit and the nearest hotel. She pointed to a small hotel with a swimming pool.  
  
"That looks like a nice one. And it even has a swimming pool. Hope you brought your bathing suit." She laughed. Jarod laughed.  
  
"I did. But I thought we were going to look for 'the clown'?" Calling a guy, 'the clown', didn't seem right to Jarod.  
  
"We are." Andrea agreed. "But I thought that for the rest of the day we could relax. It's only 7:05p.m. We have plenty of time for a dip in the pool. And besides, we've had a long day. I think we'll start looking for the 'clown' tomorrow night. Okay?" "Okay." Jarod said. Andrea pulled into the parking lot of the Gothom Garden Hotel. There were no cars in the lot. Apparently no one wanted to stay here or anywhere near Gothom.  
  
Gothom Garden Hotel? Weird name. Jaord thought. As they walked into the lobby, Jarod found out the reason for the name. Plants, flowers, and trees decorated the lobby. He could hear fountains bubbling somewhere in-between the trees.  
  
"Is in it beautiful in here?" Andrea looked around. "I see why it's called the Gothom Garden Hotel. I feel like I'm in a rainforest instead of in a hotel." Jarod agreed. It was small, but beautiful. He wondered how they managed to keep it so well kept up and in good condition. They made their way to the front desk. An older woman was sitting behind the desk.  
  
"May I help you?" she asked.  
  
"Yes, you can." Andrea smiled. Her smile was contagious. The woman, whose nametag read Irene, smiled back. "My friend and I," she pointed to Jarod. "would like a room." The woman looked shocked.  
  
"You would like to stay in Gothom?" Andrea nodded. "Bless me to think I would see the day when that would happen again." She looked at Jarod and Andrea, both of whom had puzzled looks on their faces. "I'm sorry, but no one has asked for a room in this hotel for about five years."  
  
"Well, we're asking for one. Can we have a room? And what time does the pool close?" Andrea asked.  
  
"The pool closes at midnight and opens at 10:00 am. I have the perfect room for you. It's one of our best. It looks out over the gardens. You can walk through the gardens at any time. It is quite beautiful at night." She handed two keycards to Andrea. "Can I get you to tell me your name, address, and phone number?" Andrea gave her all the required information. Beaumont. That was her last name. "Thank you. Your room is on the second floor, number 258." Andrea thanked her and looked at Jarod as they walked back out to the car.  
  
"She didn't even ask how long we were staying." Jarod pointed out. "Shouldn't we tell her?" Andrea shook her head.  
  
"No. I think she was just excited to have customers. I'll pay her when we leave." Gathering their bags, they made their way up to room 258. Andrea opened the door and looked in. The room was large, more like a suite than a plain room. A king-sized bed was in one part of the room, closest to the window, which opened up to a small patio. Beside the bed was a small desk, which held a clock, phone, and info about the area. A couch was up against the right wall, separated from the bed by a low wall. A t.v. was placed right in front of the couch, with drawers for clothes under it. A chair was placed against the wall by the door. Across from the chair, was a small dinette. A microwave and small refrigerator were next to some cabinets and a faucet, with hot and cold water. A table sat across from the refrigerator, which sat four people. Right in front of the bed was a door, which apparently led to the bathroom.  
  
"This looks cozy." Andrea said, as she entered the room. "And it's huge." Jarod walked in behind her and put his stuff on the couch.  
  
"You're right. It is both cozy and huge. So, do you still want to go swimming?" Andrea nodded her head. She put her stuff on the bed and began digging around for her bathing suit.  
  
"Darn. I knew I packed it. Where can it be?" she muttered as she continued to dig around in the suitcase. "Ah ha!" She cried, holding a one- piece bathing suit up triumphantly. "I found it." Jarod gave her a round of applause. Andrea bowed. "Thank you. Thank you." she said.  
  
"Here's mine." Jarod said, holding up his swim trunks. "Do you want to change in the bathroom first?" Andrea nodded her head.  
  
"I'll change in the bathroom. You can change out here. I'll make sure to ask to see if you're dressed before I come out." She winked at him and walked into the bathroom, shutting the door with a bang. Jarod chuckled. So much like Miss Parker, it almost wasn't funny.  
  
* * * Four hours later, Jarod and Andrea entered their room soaking wet and tired from a long dip in the pool. They both were laughing. Shutting the door, Jarod turned to Andrea.  
  
"Andi, you can have the bed. I'll take the couch." Andrea almost protested, but she was too tired. Ten minutes later, they said their goodnights and Andrea drifted off into sleep. Jarod didn't. He couldn't stop thinking about Miss Parker. She might still be at the hotel, just waiting for him to show up. They never left any of their meeting places until they saw each other. He felt guilty for leaving her there. But he had to help Andi. He just had too. Her case had a twist to it that he couldn't figure out. Something wasn't right. He just knew it. But what? Still thinking these thoughts, he fell into a troubling sleep, where he dreamed about the Centre and what they had done to him.  
  
* * *  
  
Miss Parker got into her car and drove off. The car clock read 4:15a.m. She couldn't sleep. Try as she might, sleep just wouldn't come. At three o'clock, she had finally fallen asleep only to have a nightmare that woke her up at 3:15a.m.  
  
The nightmare had been freaky. She had been standing on a building, over looking what must have once been a fairground. But it was all ruined, now. A sign above five robots, without heads, was unreadable except for the word 'future'. What looked like a water tower, but obviously wasn't, sat in the middle of a square. Next to it was a huge sculpture of a rocket, probably twenty feet high. Beneath the sculpture, two men were fighting. One looked like a man wearing a costume, which made him look like a bat. Batman. The realization had hit her hard. She had then seemed to float over and hang right above the Batman and the other man. The other man wore a purple suit, had green hair, and had a pure white face except for where his nose was bleeding. He was laughing his head off, as Batman punched and kicked him. The Joker. That was the only person it could be. If Superman's archenemy was Lex Luther; Batman's was the Joker. Batman had thrown Joker against a wall and was walking over to him, when a smoke came up from no where. Out of the smoke walked a woman. She was beautiful. Reddish-brown hair and blue eyed, the woman could have been a model. She wore a black outfit, with gray shoes. She walked over to the Joker and grabbed him by the shirt collar.  
  
"It ends here," she said. She pulled back her hand, as if to punch him. Batman took one step forward. The woman dropped her hand.  
  
"Andi, please don't. It doesn't have to end like this." She gave him a look full of sorrow.  
  
"I'm sorry, my love." At that moment the area started to blow up. Fire and smoke rained down on the three people below. "Goodbye, my love." The woman and the Joker, who she was still holding by the collar, disappeared in a puff of smoke.  
  
"Andi!" Batman cried, but it was too late. The whole area was blowing up. He made a jump off a side thing and landed in the water.  
  
It all got fuzzy there. She knew there was more to the dream but she just couldn't remember what. And she knew that the next part was important.  
  
"Darn." She muttered to no one in particular. All she knew about the last part was that Jarod had been involved. But how?  
  
* * *  
  
Jarod and Andrea got into the car.  
  
"So, where do we go from here?" He asked, looking at Andrea, as they pulled out of the parking lot.  
  
"Inner Gothom." She smiled at him. "It's going to be dangerous. There are gangs and criminals everywhere. Arkam was destroyed years ago."  
  
"Arkam?"  
  
"You, know. Arkam Asylum. Where all the bad guys would spend their lives after fighting the Batman."  
  
"Arkam was a real place?" Andrea nodded her head. "Cool. Just like in the comics." He smiled. He felt like he was in one of those old Batman comics.  
  
"Not cool. And definitely not like the comics. Many people were put into Arkam. Most of them died there, too."  
  
"Why did they all die in Arkam? Did the government send them to the electric chair?" Andrea turned her face to hide the tears in her eyes.  
  
"The guards were like criminals. They beat the prisoners and would try to starve them. The government did nothing about it. I don't even think they knew what went on there." She shuddered. Jarod felt the feeling of being in a comic book drift away. Gothom in the real world was not a pretty picture. "Gothom is a sad place, now and then."  
  
"Oh," was all Jarod could say. They rode on in silence. Soon, they entered the bad side of town. Run down buildings were everywhere. Nobody was walking the streets. Apparently, they were all night people. Jarod looked around as Andrea drove. This had been her home. But now, it lay in ruins. In another ten years, Gothom would probably not exist.  
  
"The residential section is down that way." Andrea pointed away from the bay. "I used to live down that way." she sighed. "But that was a long time ago."  
  
"Only twenty years ago."  
  
"No, more than that."  
  
"What do you mean? I thought you said you hadn't been to Gothom in twenty years."  
  
"That is what I said. I said I had not been here in twenty years. I never said that I lived here twenty years ago. I moved away from Gothom thirty years ago." Her eyes seemed to flash with a hidden pain. "I came back for a visit about twenty years ago."  
  
"Oh." Jarod said. Things kept getting even more confusing then they already were. "So you haven't lived here for thirty years?"  
  
"Yes. It's been thirty years since I've lived here." She sighed. "It seems so much longer, though." She made a sharp turn onto a one way street. She wasn't going the right way.  
  
"Hey!" Jarod yelled. "This is a one way street." Andrea turned to look at him.  
  
"I know. But have you seen any other cars around? Or a police car around for that matter?" Jarod shook his head. "I rest my case."  
  
* * *  
  
"Miss Parker, you're back." Broots exclaimed, as Miss Parker walked through the doors. "I have the results of the name search you asked me to run." Miss Parker looked at him.  
  
"What were the results?" She looked bored, as if she already knew the results, but just wanted him to confirm them.  
  
"I ran the name Jarod through..."  
  
"I know that part. What were the results?" she snapped. She looked tired, angry, and upset all at the same time. Must of had a hard day yesterday. Broots thought.  
  
"No matches found."  
  
"Well, keep looking. He has to be somewhere." She turned on her heels and headed out the door. She bumped into Sydney on her way out.  
  
"Miss Parker. Did you clear up that family matter?" She turned on him faster than you could say 'Klingon'.  
  
"Shut up, Sydney. Just shut up. It's none of your business." She walked away. Why couldn't they just leave her alone? All she wanted was to be alone. And to leave the Centre. She walked toward her office. Why, why, why?  
  
* * *  
  
Sydney walked into the office where Broots was fiddling with the computer. Something was obviously bothering Miss Parker. But what? That seemed to be the question asked must often. But what. Or why?  
  
"Broots," Broots looked up. "was it just me or did Miss Parker seem more uptight then usual?"  
  
"It isn't you. She does seem more uptight. Maybe it has something to do with that family matter she had to take care of?"  
  
"Maybe, Broots. Maybe."  
  
* * *  
  
No people of respectable class came there anymore. Not after Gothom had been over run by criminals. The Green Fish had always been a favorite spot, though no one had known who ran it. It still was a favorite spot, just not for the high and mighty. Criminals associated there, now. It was where they planned their next break in or murder. But, at this moment, Green Fish, or Fish for short, was closed. The light was on in the back room. Three men were gathered around a table. Two were standing. One was sitting.  
  
"So, any interesting news from the street?" The man sitting down asked.  
  
"The Jazzer got killed the other night. Unknown causes." The sitting man laughed.  
  
"The Jazzer was always an old creep. Got what he deserved." Looking at the two men standing, he smiled. "Remind me to send some flowers." He started laughing, again. It was an odd sort of laugh. Not like normal peoples' laugh. "Anything else?"  
  
"Yeah." The taller of the two said. "Reports show that most major bigheads are dying or dead. We have a good opportunity to gain the upper hand." The sitting man nodded his head.  
  
"Good. Good. And with them out of the way, we can rule Gothom. Wouldn't that be sweet? To rule the one town everybody thought would make it to the top. Batboy's probably turning over in his grave!!" The man began laughing again. "Any more news?"  
  
"One more thing." The shorter of the two answered. "It seems that a guy and a babe have decided to stay in Gothom. Near the airport. Some of our people saw them zooming around town in a Lincoln." The man choked on the beer he was drinking.  
  
"Did anyone get a good look at them?" He demanded.  
  
"Yeah, Gezzer did. He said the man was probably around six feet tall, with brown hair and brown eyes." The man seemed to relax a little. "The babe was a reddish-brown head and had piercing blue eyes. She was driving. And according to Gezzer, she seemed to know her way around the town." The man started to grow tense. "I snuck in to airport flight records. The man's name is Jarod Robin. The babe's is Jackie Nightwing. They don't have tickets for another flight. They're staying here." The sitting man laced his fingers together and gave an evil grin.  
  
"Thank you. That will be all." The two men left the room. The man still sat there, a big grin spread across his face. "So, we meet again, Miss Beaumont. I hope your new friend can protect you from what's coming." His laugh lasted a long time.  
  
* * *  
  
Andrea parked the car in the parking lot of their hotel.  
  
"So, how did you like your first close up look at Gothom City, Jarod?" She asked, looking at him. He thought a moment before answering.  
  
"It was okay. It's amazing to believe that less than ten years ago, this city was booming. When did it start to go bad?"  
  
"About six years ago. Some of the cops started to go over to the criminal side. All the better cops left to find a better place to live and work. That included the Commissioner and his daughter."  
  
"You mean Commissioner Gordon? He was real?" Jarod's eyes were opened wider than a kid's at Christmas. Despite all the things that had happened in Gothom, it still had a bit of charm to it for a Batman fan. Andrea laughed.  
  
"Commissioner Gordon was never real. But, there was a Commissioner Jordon. They probably got 'Gordon' from 'Jordon'. He served as Comis for longer than I can remember. He had a daughter named Barbara. She was probably 22 when they left Gothom."  
  
"Cool. It's weird to think that a lot of the people in the comics actually existed. Did Bruce Wayne really exist?" Andrea's eyes clouded over. She turned her head for a second before answering. Jarod wondered why she was getting teary eyed.  
  
"No. Bruce Wayne never existed." She opened the car door and got out. "We better get some sleep."  
  
"Why?" Jarod asked. "It's only 5:55p.m."  
  
"I know, but we're going to go out hunting for the 'clown', tonight. He'll probably be out like all the other gangsters and criminals." She had a gleam in her eye that spoke louder than words. She was looking forward to putting him in jail. A thought struck Jarod, hard. How were they going to put him in jail? Arkam had been destroyed years ago. And he was sure other jails wouldn't accept him. But before he could ask, Andrea walked toward the door of the hotel, leaving Jarod in the car to puzzle out this new question. And hope his answer wasn't true.  
  
* * *  
  
The room was dark. The curtains were shut. They had been shut for over four years. The house which the curtains belonged to, sat on a cliff, over looking a small bay. The house appeared lonely. No cars were in the driveway. No flowers grew on the lawn. It was desolate.  
  
The room had very few furnishings. A desk sat against one wall. Across from it was a fireplace with a picture hanging over it. The picture was of a man and a woman hugging each other. A man stood by the desk. His head bent, his right hand clutching the desk, he looked like he was about to cry. The door to his right opened slowly. Another man entered. He wore a black suit, like a butler, and the hairs that were still on his head were a bright white.  
  
"Master Bruce, am I disturbing you?" The man lifted his head revealing deep black eyes. His hair was graying but he looked like he could take on five guys at once.  
  
"No, Alfred, you're not."  
  
"Oracle just called in. She had some very disturbing, if not interesting, news."  
  
"What is it, Alfred?"  
  
"She told me to tell you to call her. She wanted to tell you the news herself."  
  
"Oh. Thank you, Alfred."  
  
"You're welcome, sir." Alfred gave a slight nod of his head and backed out of the room. The man, whose name was Bruce, reached over for the telephone, which was sitting on the desk. He dialed a number and waited, while it rang.  
  
"Oracle here." A female voice said over the phone.  
  
"Oracle, this is Bruce."  
  
"Alfred gave you the message?"  
  
"Yes. What's the news?"  
  
"Well, I was looking at the records for incoming flights to Gothom and I found something interesting."  
  
"What?"  
  
"Apparently, two people got off a plane at the Gothom Airport and decided to stay in Gothom. Isn't that strange?"  
  
"Yes, it is. Do you know their names?"  
  
"That's the disturbing part. Their names are Jarod Robin and Jackie Nightwing." Bruce gave a small gasp. "They're going under fake names, Bruce. And their last names are Dick and Tim's alter egos."  
  
"Weird. Anything else?" "No, that's all. Oracle out." The girl hung up. Bruce placed the phone back in its cradle. The people were definitely going under fake names. But why? And why did they pick Robin and Nightwing as last names. Unless... He gasped again and fell into the seat behind the desk. It wasn't possible. After all these years. But the evidence was clear. The only thing unclear was where to go from here.  
  
* * *  
  
Miss Parker sat straight up in bed, heart pounding, body drenched in sweat. She had that dream again. She glanced at the clock. It read 12:04a.m. She had only been asleep for one hour.  
  
The dream had been the same as always. She had been standing on a building and then she had moved over to watch Batman and the Joker fight. Then, the lady, Andi, had shown up. She and Batman exchanged a few words like before. Andi and the Joker disappeared in a puff of smoke. The whole area started to blow up. Batman jumped into the water. That's where it usually started to go fuzzy. But tonight, she had more of it. The dream had faded into black and then she was floating over an area that looked like it had been blown up. Ashes and rubble were everywhere. In the middle of it all was a woman. Andi. Miss Parker had recognized her from her reddish-brown hair and blue eyes. She was dressed in black. She was fighting with the Joker. He was laughing, hard.  
  
"So, you've come to finish me off again, have you, Toots." He said as Andi slapped him in the face. At that moment, Batman showed up.  
  
"Andi, please." He pleaded with her. "Stop this. You can never succeed in vengeance. It will destroy you."  
  
"I'm sorry, Bruce. This is the way it has to be. And if I die, so be it." Batman opened his mouth to say something, but another man stepped out of the shadows of the rubble. Jarod! Miss Parker had screamed, but no one could hear her. Jarod looked upset. He had a confused look on his face.  
  
"Andi, please stop." Jarod pleaded. "You said you wanted him in jail, not that you wanted him dead. Let the authorities deal with him. Please, stop before you get killed." Andi just looked at him.  
  
"You're a good person, Jarod. And I'm sorry I had to bring you into this. Please forgive me and let me finish this." She turned to look at the Joker. "It truly ends tonight."  
  
"Andi, no!!!!" Batman screamed. All of a sudden, the whole area started to blow up. Jarod looked around as if he were in a daze. Andi turned toward him.  
  
"Jarod, get out of here. Now! You must leave or you will die." She seemed genuinely concerned about him. But it was too late. The whole area blew up, killing Andi, the Joker, Batman, and Jarod. Miss Parker started to cry as she floated just above the burning area. As the smoke cleared, she saw all their bodies, burnt and bleeding, lying in a heap. They were all dead.  
  
"Nooooo!" Miss Parker screamed. It must not end like this. A voice cried out. It had no origin. It was just a voice.  
  
"Oh, Gothom, what have you become? Oh, what have you become?" It just kept repeating that. Over and over. At that point, she had woke up, body drenched in sweat. This dream had a meaning. She knew it.  
  
Miss Parker lay back down. She now had a clue to what the dream meant. The clue was Gothom. She closed her eyes but sleep did not come easily.  
  
* * *  
  
Jarod fell onto the couch. All of his body ached with pain. He glanced at the clock. 8:03a.m. He and Andi had been out for over twelve hours. Their search for the clown had not been a success. At least, not yet. They had drove to the outskirts of the bad part of town. Leaving the car in a back alley, he and Andi had preceded to look around. When they came to a nightclub, Andi had told him she was going in and that he should follow her in about five minutes.  
  
Jarod had only waited four minutes. As he entered the club, he spotted Andi talking to a man who was definitely drunk. He had his arms around her waist and was trying, unsuccessfully, to give her a kiss. Andi had pushed him away and smiled at Jarod. She made her way through the crowd of people, intill she finally got to Jarod.  
  
"He says he's never heard of the clown before in his life. Asked why a pretty young girl like me would be out on the streets in the middle of the night." Andi gave a wicked smile. "Wait till he finds out that I'm fifty- one."  
  
"You sure have a way with people." Jarod said. Andi smiled up at him and made her way back to the drunken man. He smiled in obvious delight. Andi bent down and whispered something into his ear. Probably telling the man how old she is. Jarod had thought. And he had been right. The man had looked up at Andi as if he were in shock. Andi laughed and walked back over to Jarod.  
  
"Now he knows," was all she said. That was pretty much how the night had gone. Wandering from one nightclub to another. One bar to another. Each time, Andi asking the men if they knew whom the clown was and where he might be. They all replied 'no'. When Jarod had asked if he could ask the questions, Andi scowled.  
  
"I'm sorry to say, but most of these people would just look at you. I have a special touch. Sorry, Jarod." Jarod decided not to argue. It would have been pointless. At around 6:30a.m., he and Andi made there way back to the car. They had walked over five miles and Jarod's legs were killing him.  
  
Now, he found himself drifting into sleep. Tonight would be like the last. A never-ending search for the clown. Would their search ever end?  
  
* * *  
  
Miss Parker burst through the door, scaring Broots and Sydney half to death.  
  
"Miss... Miss...Parker," Broots stammered.  
  
"Broots, I need you to run the word 'Gothom' through the Centre's mainframe. See what you can come up with." She ordered.  
  
"W..W.. Why?"  
  
"A lead on Jarod," was all she said. "And make it quick. We don't have a lot of time." She turned and walked out the door, praying Broots would hurry.  
  
* * *  
  
Miss Parker walked through the doors of the office two hours later.  
  
"Anything?" She demanded from Broots.  
  
"Ye...Ye..Yes, there was something. I ran the name 'Gothom' through the Centre mainframe and nothing came up. The Centre has no ties to a Gothom. Then, I ran the name 'Gothom' through the city index." Miss Parker sighed. He could go on like this for minutes. She needed to know what he had found, now. Patience, Miss Parker. She reminded herself. "There is a Gothom City, New York, about fifteen miles south of New York City."  
  
"What? You mean Gothom City actually exists?"  
  
"Yes, isn't that cool? Who would have thought..." He stopped when he saw Miss Paker's face. "Anyway, Gothom's been in the news a few times."  
  
"What does the news say about Gothom, Broots?" Miss Parker encouraged. This was important.  
  
"About twenty some years ago, Gothom had a mysterious crimefighter helping the local police. No one knew who he was. During that time, Gothom boomed. It had skyscrapers and everything. I saw some pictures of it. It was beautiful."  
  
"Was there any other interesting information?" Miss Parker asked, discarding what he had just said as unimportant.  
  
"Yes. But it was very sad. About six years ago, some of Gothom's finest cops went bad. The ones that didn't go to the 'dark side', left to find other jobs. Then, about two months later..." Broots stopped. His eyes watered. He's going to cry. Miss Parker thought.  
  
"What happened, Broots" Miss Parker asked, gently.  
  
"Arkam was a real place, Miss Parker. But it was terrible. The guards didn't try to help the prisoners. They killed them. Two months after the cops turned bad, the guards at Arkam went crazy. They killed over three- fourths of the prisoners. Then, they turned the guns on each other. All the guards died. It was called 'The Arkam Massacre'. The remaining prisoners escaped and entered the city. It all went down hill from there. People left hoping to find better lives. Gothom's crimefighter disappeared. The criminals went around without restraint. It turned into a nightmare. All the skyscrapers tumbled to the ground. It was awful." Broots shook his head. "It's amazing."  
  
"It sure is." Miss Parker whispered. The answer was right here. Gothom existed and that was where Jarod was. And he was in danger. She looked at Broots. "Broots, see if you can secure the Centre jet for me. I need it as soon as possible."  
  
"Why?"  
  
"I'm going to pay Gothom City a visit."  
  
"Okay. I'll call Sydney and tell him to pack his things. I'll also see if any of the sweepers..." He stopped when Miss Parker put her hand up.  
  
"I'm going alone."  
  
"Alone?"  
  
"Yes, alone."  
  
"But...But...Miss Parker. It could be very dangerous. Shouldn't you at least bring Sam along?" Broots pleaded.  
  
"No. I'm going alone."  
  
"But, Miss Parker." Broots tried one more time.  
  
"Save it, Broots. I'm going alone. And that's final." She turned on her heels and walked out the door, leaving Broots to make the final arrangements. She hoped he would hurry. Jarod didn't have much time left.  
  
* * *  
  
The man leaned back in his chair and smiled at his henchman.  
  
"So, boys, any news on our little girl?"  
  
"She and that man were seen last night wandering around town. They stopped at every nightclub and bar. Inside source says they were looking for you, boss." A tall, heavy-set man said.  
  
"Really? I'm flattered. Where did they end their little hunt for me?" The man laughed hard. This was normal for him.  
  
"About a mile up the street. If all goes well, they should end up here tonight. Should I have the boys wait for them?"  
  
"No. No, that's all right. I want to take care of them myself. I want to see the look on her face when I strangle her." He laughed hard.  
  
"All right, boss. It's your call." The heavy-set man said. He turned and left the room. He had to get the main room ready for business tonight. The other man just sat there. Fingers laced together. Evil grin on his face. He decided that tomorrow night would do. Tomorrow night was going to be fun.  
  
"Ah, how I wish it wouldn't come to this, Miss Beaumont. But you leave me no choice. When anyone asks for the Joker, they always find him. He-he."  
  
* * *  
  
"So, when will it be ready?" Miss Parker asked Broots.  
  
"Mr. Raines is using it for something. I can't get the plane until tomorrow." Miss Parker had a panicked look on her face. Tomorrow. Tomorrow! Tomorrow may be too late! She tried to keep her composure. She didn't succeed. "Miss Parker, are you all right?" Broots asked, giving her a concerned look.  
  
"I'm fine. Why wouldn't I be?" She asked, quickly regaining her composure. She glared at Broots, who just nodded his head.  
  
"I don't know." Broots mumbled. Miss Parker felt a tad bit sorry for him. She knew she shouldn't have snapped, but this was getting stressful. She turned and walked toward the door.  
  
"Oh, Broots," She said, turning to face him. Broots lifted his head to look at her. "If the plane is available sooner, you'll let me know immediately." As she walked out the door she heard Broots say: "Yes, Miss Parker."  
  
* * *  
  
Jarod opened the door to the room and nearly collapsed on the couch. Andrea came in right behind him, equally exhausted. They had no success, today, either. They had went to a club called, 'The Green Fish', known as 'Fish' by its patrons. They had talked to numerous people there, no one having any clues. It was the same way with all the other places they had gone. He glanced at the clock. 6:25a.m. It was way past bedtime.  
  
A small gasp from Andrea shook him out of his reverie. He turned to look at her and saw that she was holding a small piece of paper. Jaord moved in closer. "What is it?" he asked. Instead of answering, she handed the paper over to him. On it, in messy handwriting, was this message:  
  
HI Toots!  
So what's happening? I heard you're  
Running around town with another  
Hottie. Want to have a little fun?  
Meet me at the spot where you clobbered  
Me the first time, tomorrow evening  
At around... oh. Let's say 10:00. Hope you can  
Make it! He-He-He-HE!!  
  
Your Clowning Foe,  
  
The Joker  
  
Jarod stared at the paper in shock. "He's trying to contact you?" was all he could say. Andrea nodded her head. "Why?"  
  
"I don't know." She looked out the window. Jarod read the paper over.  
  
"It says, 'Meet me at the place where you clobbered me the first time'. " He turned on her fast. But before he could speak, he read the last line. "The Joker!?" he practically screamed. "You had us out looking for the Joker? Are you crazy?" She just stood there, watching him. He tried to calm himself down. Finally, he spoke again. "Is that why you kept calling him the 'clown'? Because you didn't want me to know it was the Joker? Why?" She turned her head before answering.  
  
"Yes, I didn't want you to know about it being the Joker." Her voice choked, as if in sadness. "I thought that if you knew who we were really after, you would persuade me not to go after him. I'm sorry." Jarod took a deep breath. He walked over to Andrea and put his arms around her.  
  
"It's okay." he whispered. "I'm not that mad." He held her for a few seconds, before looking at her. "So, what do we do from here?"  
  
"We meet him where he wants us to meet him. At the fairgrounds."  
  
"All right. It's your call. But, explain one thing to me. When did you clobber him the first time?" Andrea hung her head.  
  
"Does that really matter?" she asked. Jarod sighed.  
  
"No, I guess it doesn't."  
  
* * *  
  
She waited intill he was asleep before she left. She didn't want him to know what she was doing. Now that she knew where it was to take place, she could set the bombs. It would finally end tonight. She got into the car and drove toward the bay. Five minutes past. Ten minutes past. Soon, she pulled up in front of an area that looked like it had been blown up. In fact, it had been blown up years before. But last time he had set the bombs. Not her. As she set up the bombs, she felt a tad bit upset. How she hated to drag Jarod into this. He was such a nice person. But, she had no choice. Hopefully he would heed her warning and leave before the bombs went off.  
  
One hour later, she was done. She climbed into the car and drove back to the hotel. Entering the room, she was relieved to see that Jarod was still sleeping. Taking off her shoes, she climbed back into the bed.  
  
"Finally, it ends." she whispered, before falling asleep.  
  
* * *  
  
A voice. Calling out in the darkness. What was it saying? Miss Parker moaned in her sleep. It was an important message, that she knew. The voice became clear.  
  
"Leave. Leave." it whispered.  
  
"Leave? Where do I go?"  
  
"You know." Miss Parker sat up in her bed fast. Gothom. She had to go to Gothom. Jarod was in trouble. But, she had to wait for the plane. She lay back down.  
  
Leave now!!! Her conscience screamed at her.  
  
"All right." she said. Getting up and quickly dressing, she packed a small bag and jumped in the car. It would take her over four hours to get to Gothom. 7:29a.m. She prayed she would make it in time.  
  
* * *  
  
Jarod watched as Andrea dug around in her suitcase looking for something. She wasn't having any luck finding it, though. Clothes were strewn all over the bed and floor.  
  
"What are you looking for?" His question was answered with a smile from Andrea as she held up an outfit made of some sort of black material.  
  
"This. It's a comfortable fighting outfit. I made it back in my wild days." She smiled. Jarod guessed she was remembering childhood days. He wasn't far from the truth. "Like I said, I think it's quite comfortable."  
  
"But, you won't be fighting." Jarod reminded her gently but firmly.  
  
"I know, it's just a precaution in case he decides to pull any of his usual tricks. I think it would be best to be prepared for anything. Don't you?"  
  
"Yeah, I guess." Jarod said absentmindedly, looking at the clock. 9:30p.m. Only thirty more minutes before their meeting with the Joker. He sighed.  
  
"Are you sure you want to do this?" He asked. Andrea nodded her head.  
  
"Of course I'm sure. Excuse me while I go put this on." Five minutes later she reentered the room. Jarod thought she looked stunning. The black brought out her eyes and gave her a mysterious look.  
  
"You look great." Andrea blushed.  
  
"Thank you. Ready to go?"  
  
"As ready as I'll ever be." Jarod said, standing up slowly.  
  
"Then lets go." They walked out of the room and down to the car. As they got in, Jarod had a weird feeling that something terrible was about to happen.  
  
* * *  
  
Bruce looked at Alfred, his old friend. Alfred was concerned. That much was obvious. He didn't approve of Bruce going and interfering with Andrea's plans. He remembered what had happened the last time. Alfred shuddered.  
  
"Are you sure about this, sir?" Alfred questioned, as he handed Bruce a cape. Bruce clipped the cape to his back.  
  
"Of course I'm sure, Alfred. I know Andrea has planned something that will finally rid her of the Joker forever. I want to stop her before she gets hurt." He smiled a tiny smile at Alfred. "Don't worry, I'll be fine." He didn't feel fine, though. He turned, looking around the Batcave. He had a feeling that his old foe, Death, would finally beat him today. He didn't tell Alfred this. If he didn't come home alive, Alfred would weep and mourn for him, but he would know that it was for the better. Bruce had nothing left to live for. Everything important to him had either died or left. How appropriate that if he did die, he would die with the person who held his heart and his love.  
  
Alfred handed him the mask. For the first time in years, Bruce put on the mask and became Batman. He was ready for this. He turned to face Alfred.  
  
"Good bye old friend. Thank you for everything." Alfred bowed slightly, his way of saying "You're welcome."  
  
Batman walked to the Batmobile. He climbed in and drove off. His destiny was waiting for him at an old fairground on the far side of Gothom. He must not keep it waiting.  
  
* * *  
  
Miss Parker drove around Gothom, completely lost and confused. She had no clue where she was or where she could find Jarod. She knew better then to get out of her car. The looks of all the people she had seen walking around the streets had given her the impression that if she got out, they would rob her. Or worse.  
  
She glanced at the clock. 9:56p.m. She had been in the car for over fifteen hours. She sighed. At that moment, the buildings disappeared, leaving her with a view of an area that looked like it had been blown up sometime in its past. She slammed on her brakes. The place from her dreams. As she looked at it, she caught sight of two figures walking toward the center of the area.  
  
"Jarod." Miss Parker whispered. The woman with him must be Andi. She thought. Knowing she didn't have much time, she parked the car. Getting out, she ran as fast as she could toward the two figures. Praying she wouldn't be too late.  
  
* * *  
  
The two old enemies faced each other. As soon as Jarod and Andrea had come to the middle of the blown up area, the Joker had stepped out of the shadows.  
  
"Welcome to my once humble abode." He said, bowing. Jarod had taken a few steps back, hiding in the shadows of what once was a sculpture of some kind. He didn't want to get in the way of justice. Andrea had told him that she was planning to shoot him with a sleep dart and then take him to the authorities of some city other then Gothom. Jarod had thought that was a good plan. The gun and dart were hidden in the back pocket of Andrea's outfit.  
  
Now the two enemies faced each other. Andrea was calm. The day she had so long dreamed of was here. She would finally avenge her father.  
  
The Joker was getting impatient. She was just standing there, so calm and collect. Why wasn't she attacking? Who cared? With quick movements, he jumped at her. The fight was on. The Joker kicked and punched. Andrea dodged and blocked, her movements graceful, as she waited for the right opportunity to strike back.  
  
It was all Jarod could do to keep from running out there to help Andrea. But, she had given him strict instructions that whatever happened, he must not help her. He fidgeted in his hiding place. How he wanted to help.  
  
Suddenly, Andrea, with beautiful precision, placed a roundhouse kick against the Joker's head. He fell. Andrea stood over him, a triumphant smile on her face. The Joker slowly rose to his feet.  
  
"So, you think you can finish me off that easily, Toots? Do you really think you can beat me? The great Joker?" Anger burning in her, Andrea slapped him.  
  
"You fool." She cried. "In less then five minutes you will be dead. I have seen to that." She hit him again. The Joker collapsed, moaning in pain. He didn't get back up. Andrea was about to kick him again, when Batman showed up. Andrea gasped in surprise. She hadn't expected him to be there. She didn't want him to be there. But, how fitting that she would die with him.  
  
"Andi, please." He pleaded with her. "Stop this. You can never succeed in vengeance. It will only destroy you in the end. Please." He took a step toward her. She took a step back.  
  
"I'm sorry, Bruce. This is the way it has to be. And if I die, so be it." She knew she would die. She silently drew the remote from her pocket and pushed the button. Her fate, along with the Joker's and Batman's, was sealed. She could only hope that Jarod would leave when she warned him. As she turned to face where Jarod was hiding, he stepped out.  
  
"Andrea, please stop." Jarod pleaded, now seeing what her true intention was. He would have continued, but two things stopped him. One was the shaking of the ground. The other was Miss Parker running toward him, calling his name.  
  
"Jarod, we must leave now. Please, come with me." Miss Parker cried, running up to him and laying her hand on his arm. "This whole place is about to blow." The ground continued to shake. Jarod looked at Andrea.  
  
"She speaks the truth, Jarod. Leave now." Andrea said. "You must live, just as I must die." The shaking became more violent.  
  
"Jarod, come on." Miss Parker screamed, already running from the scene. Jarod took one more look at Andrea, Batman, and the Joker. Then, he turned, following Miss Parker. Together they raced away from the condemned area.  
  
Andrea smiled. He would be safe.  
  
The Joker sat there, looking shocked. He was actually going to die. How funny. He laughed. Death had finally won.  
  
The area started to blow up. Fire flew into the air, like mini fireworks. The heat became intense. Andrea looked at Batman.  
  
"Do you fear death?" She asked.  
  
"No." He whispered. Taking one step toward her, he laid his hand on her arm. She smiled. He smiled. Neither felt the burning heat nor the flames as their lips met.  
  
* * *  
  
Jarod and Miss Parker watched the area blow up. Debris flew into the air. Flames swirled. They could feel the heat from the flames below.  
  
Miss Parker was on the verge of tears. She was thankful that if she looked down and through the flames, she would only see three bodies, not four. But, there were still bodies down there. Tears fell down her pale cheeks. She and Jarod had come so close to being down there in those flames, too. What would have happened.. No, she wouldn't think about what could have happened. Her tears came more forcefully. Jarod looked at her.  
  
"There, there. Don't cry. It's okay." He put his arm around her. "Don't cry, Parker." She just sobbed even more.  
  
"I was so close to losing you." She finally choked out.  
  
"I know. I know. But, you didn't lose me. That is all that matters." She slowly nodded her head. Together they made their way to Miss Parker's car. They had watched one person fight ghosts from her past. And now, they were going to go fight theirs. But, they would triumph where Andrea had failed. 


End file.
